


My Flesh, Your Soul, let's dance together~

by Merlioske



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Anal Sex, BAMF Merlin, M/M, Mafia AU, Merlin owns a club, Merlioske-friendly, Modern AU, Older Merlin, Pole Dancer Arthur, Rich Merlin, Semi-Public Sex, Stripper AU, Stripper Arthur, among other things, modern with magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:08:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26954113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlioske/pseuds/Merlioske
Summary: Arthur loves dancing. Which is good, great even, as without it, bills wouldn't get paid, and Arthur /needs/ to pay his bills, otherwise... yeah, good thing he loves dancing. Loves how being watched, being desired, makes him feel.especially when it's one...specific pair of eyes that do said desiring.Arthur loves dancing. Arthur loves being watched. Arthur wants to keep dancing and he wants to keep being watched. especially by one, specific pair of eyes.good thing said pair of eyes has no intention of ever stopping watching him.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 108





	My Flesh, Your Soul, let's dance together~

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to [Sunfall](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunfall_of_Ennien) for the marvelous art.  
> thank you to [Pelydryn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelydryn/pseuds/Pelydryn) for the beta, you girls are beyond great and amazing and just gah.  
> <3
> 
> [Arty's song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR5u9jb0PJE)

~ _ Baby, I wanna touch you _ ~

His hips were moving to the beat. He could feel their eyes on him. All of them were watching him. There were other dancers on the stage, but  _ he _ was the one commanding all the gazes from those sitting at the tables and sofas below. 

He loved feeling them devour him with their eyes. Especially when one specific pair of eyes was doing said devouring. It always put an extra swing in his hips as he moved across the stage. 

The eyes were here tonight as well. Unlike usual, however, it seemed the owner of the most intense gaze Arthur had ever felt, was alone. 

He was used to seeing him, after three months of working in this club, but each and every time, the man had at least two or three others there, at the table, vying for his attention. 

Some sort of a businessman, Arthur reckoned, preferring to work in the relative privacy of a strip joint. Shady business was still business, and Arthur was far from someone who could allow himself to judge anyone. Not anymore. 

The man's gaze seemed glued to his every move, and Arthur preened, pulling all the stops, to make sure that that gaze stayed right where it was supposed to be. 

  


He ran a hand down his chest and shivered - he could swear he could feel that gaze following the same path in an almost physical caress. 

Arthur bit his lip, slow, letting a teasing smile pull at his mouth as he slid down the pole, snapping his thighs open wide, going to his knees, gyrating his hips to the slow, sensual beat. 

The group dance was coming to a close, and Arthur mourned the loss of that gaze already. 

Finally, the lights dimmed, and the last thing Arthur managed before they did, was catch that gaze one last time. 

~ _ Baby, I gotta hunt you _

_ I gotta bring you to my hell _ ~

After he changed and went out to the floor, he saw one of the new boys, even newer than him, Oliver? Owain? O-something or other, strut over to the Gaze Man and lean over him from behind, sliding his hands sensually over his shoulders and down his chest. He was obviously whispering into his ear, offering a private dance. Or more. The club Emrys had a no-touch policy, but their manager, Gwaine, with his laissez-faire attitude always winked and said something along the lines of  _ what I don't know can't hurt me _ when Arthur tried bringing up the less than dance noises coming from behind the closed curtains. 

Internally, Arthur fumed - he'd be doing the same thing, had he permission. Not that he didn't have routines, he did. He worked painstakingly long hours, teaching himself how to move to different songs. And he was  _ good. _ He knew he was good enough for a solo... Gwaine, however, hadn't given him the go-ahead for a solo performance yet. As such, he couldn't just… go up to his Gaze Man and offer, the way Ostin was doing. Arthur blinked, Oswald looked… tense. 

Yes, not a second later he was practically catapulting himself away from Arthur's Gaze Man and scuttering away. 

Curious. 

Arthur dismissed it and went to serve tables in his section. 

Oscar didn't show to work the day later. Nor any of the days that followed. 

~ _ Baby, I wanna fuck you _ ~

Arthur continued to dance in all the group performances he could - every dance meant money and he could never save enough it seemed. So dancing his feet to the bone it was. At least it was fun. Dancing, seeing the responses of the crowd,  _ feeling _ their desire, well, it was doing wonders for Arthur’s self-confidence. The tips didn’t hurt either, even if they did come with the occasional grope or two.

Never from his Gaze Man, however. Ever since that One Day, every time he had come back, his posse was back too. He was never alone, and Arthur wouldn’t have minded that too much, if only… if only he hadn’t gotten greedy of that Gaze. But he had. And now, when he danced, and he  _ didn’t  _ feel his Gaze Man watching him, he had the very annoying tendency to pout, as he left the stage.

It was ridiculous, Arthur knew that. He knew, and yet, he couldn’t help it. He wanted that Gaze on him and him alone and he wanted it all the time. He was determined to get it back.

“Gwaine!” he called, jogging up to the manager, and watched as the man flipped his long bouncy hair with an expert twist before turning his blinding grin towards him.

“Princess. What can I do for you?”

Arthur grit his teeth - he hated that nickname with a passion, but as far as he knew, Gwaine signed his paychecks, so clocking him was out of the question. “I want a solo slot,” he said without preamble and watched as Gwaine’s grin faltered. He sighed. “Gwaine, come on, I’ve been on the roster for over four months now. And I’m good, I know I am. I’m sure as hell better than that Kin? Koy? Kam?”

“You mean Kay?” Gwaine asked through a chuckle, and Arthur groaned, running a hand through his hair.

“Whoever he is! He’s been here half the time I have, and he’s already doing solos and ---”

“Listen here, Princess,” Gwaine interrupted him with a frown. “I know it’s frustrating. I know you want the spotlight. You’re suited for it well enough. But you can’t do solos. At least, not yet.”

“But---” Arthur started, knowing his desperation was leaking through but not caring much about it any longer.

Gwaine shook his head at him, genuine regret shining through. “I’m sorry, Arthur. The answer is no.”

~ _ I wanna feel you in my bones _ ~

It took almost another two full months of endless hours in the gym and the dancing studio; of doing group performance after group performance; of frustration at himself and at Gwaine and especially, as irrational as it was, at his Gaze Man, before Arthur was  _ this _ close to just… giving up. Maybe it was time to face up to the fact that he just wasn’t good enough for a solo. Except that he  _ was _ . He  _ knew _ he was. And he was pretty damn sure Gwaine knew it too.

Deciding that tonight was the night, tonight he’d dance his best, and after, he’d talk to Gwaine. And if Gwaine still turned him down? Well, there were plenty of other male only strip joints in the city. Arthur was certain any one of them would take him on.

~ _ Boy, I’m gonna love you _

_ I’m gonna tear into your soul _ ~

He  _ killed _ it that night. Stole the show so utterly and completely he couldn't stop the grin splitting his face when the lights dimmed. 

And, of course, the fact that the Gaze Man couldn't tear his eyes off of him had absolutely nothing to do with it. Nope, nothing whatsoever. 

Arthur felt like he was floating as he skipped backstage and into the dressing room. He changed into one of his more… conservative outfits -- meaning the pants weren't  _ quite _ painted on -- and left for the floor. Serving tables might have been less lucrative than dancing, but money was money. And Arthur couldn't afford to turn it down. Groped ass or no groped ass. 

Just as he was about to step onto the floor, his elbow was grabbed and he was pulled back.

“Heya, Princess.”

Arthur frowned - Gwaine’s smile seemed… kinda constipated. He turned his head to the side, consideringly. “Are you alright, Gwaine?”

That earned him a humourless chuckle. “I’m quite fine, Princess, quite fine. Now, you still want that solo?”

Arthur knew his eyes lit up just as a beaming grin stole over his face; it seemed the night truly  _ was _ his. “That a joke, right? Of course I bloody well do! Gwaine, oh man, I have  _ so _ many routines! I---” His eyes narrowed at the shifty look the manager had on his face. Arthur crossed his arms. “What is it.”

Sighing explosively, Gwaine offered him a sympathetic shrug and handed over a piece of paper. “This is what you’re dancing your debut to.”

Arthur blinked - that… was unusual. As far as he knew, the dancers could choose their solo music themselves. He glanced down at the paper.  _ Desire _ , it said,  _ by Meg Myers _ . It rang no bells for him.

“...Gwaine?” he started out carefully, a little afraid he’d get his chance snatched right back if he asked, yet too damn curious to actually shut his mouth.

“Yeah, Princess?”

Gwaine still looked a little constipated, but this was  _ his night _ , so Arthur decided to push his luck just a bit. “Why this song?”

Gwaine made a face. “Because the boss said so.”

Arthur did a double-take. Before he could voice his incredulity, however, Gwaine was speaking again. “Speaking of. You are also to not offer any private shows. And I do mean  _ any _ sort of private shows. On pain of immediate termination, I’m afraid.”

At that, Arthur straight up gaped. “Say what now?”

“Yeah I… I’m sorry, Princess. I’m under the strictest of orders to not allow you anywhere near the curtains.” Gwaine gave him an apologetic shrug. “But hey, at least you’re getting your solo act, finally. Do well enough and maybe you’ll get the stage for yourself more often, hmm?”

Arthur just nodded numbly and watched as Gwaine turned to leave. 

“Oh that’s right, you’ve the rest of the week to come up with your routine, you debut on Friday. The one am slot’s all yours.”

Arthur’s eyes widened at that - the one o’clock was one of the most coveted slots. To get it for a debut? He felt a question bubbling up, but when he blinked out of his stupor, Gwaine was long gone.

Arthur shrugged; it didn’t matter. He had gotten his shot at a solo act. And he had only four days to get ready. There was work to do.

~ _ Desire, I’m hungry _

_ I hope you’ll feed me _ ~

Time flew for Arthur. He had managed to beg off for extra time in the dance studio (the owner, Elena-please-call-me-Elly was an absolute sweetheart and had a soft spot for a ‘fellow sunshine-baby’ and Arthur had certainly used it to his advantage), and as such, he was exhausted beyond belief, but, come Friday he had finally felt confident enough with his routine.

Stifling another yawn, he stared at the kettle, willing it to begin bubble faster. He needed his caffeine, otherwise he’d fall right asleep while standing and then… well, he didn’t want to think much about what would happen if he’d miss out on his own solo debut because he  _ slept through it _ .

Soon enough, however, the other dancers were bustling him out with playful snarks, and Arthur downed the last of his coffee, took one last look at the mirror and went to face the music.

~ _ How do you want me? How do you want me? _

_ How do you want me? How do you want me? _ ~

Arthur stood in the middle of the stage, his eyes closed, the darkness soothing on his skin. When the slow beat started, the stage lighting up, he began to move with it, motions practised and fluid.

His eyes searched the packed club as he moved. This was where he was thankful that he had hammered his routine so much it had become mostly muscle memory. A twirl. A slide down the pole and to his knees. A full body roll. He knew his audience was holding their breaths. He could feel them watching him. He could feel them desiring him. His skin did not tingle. Arthur bit the inside of his cheek as he finished his routine with flourish that got him wolf-whistles and standing ovations.

His Gaze Man was not there.

~ _ Honey, I wanna break you _ ~

By all accounts, Arthur should have been ecstatic. His debut was a roaring success; his following group acts seemed to be granting him more and more attention. They were turning into him, dancing on center stage with backup dancers, instead of all of them dancing together. The Gaze Man hadn’t been in for over a week and a half. Not that Arthur was counting or anything. Arthur tried to not be disappointed. He failed.

Not that he let it show while he was on the stage. Oh no, when he was there, with the beat pounding away in his veins, all eyes on him, he was shining.

It was when he got off the stage that he… deflated. That’s what Gwaine said, at least. But Arthur brushed him off; he was making mad money, for both the club and for himself. He was about to start doing solo acts on the regular, to his own chosen songs too, it was… It was amazing. Except Arthur caught himself pining and hated himself for it. He didn’t even know who his Gaze Man was, for gods’ sake. And yet. And yet…

~ _ I wanna throw you to the hounds _ ~

It came as a surprise, when Gwaine stopped him right before leaving one night. 

"Listen, Princess. I'll need you to only come in at around midnight tomorrow."

Arthur blinked. He knew his schedule by heart -- that's what one did when one's meals were depending on each and every penny earned. "... Did I do something wrong?" he asked, running through the possibilities in his head, trying to recall if he had done something to annoy the management lately.

“What? No, no, it’s nothing like that, fret not, Princess.” Gwaine gave him a solid pat on the shoulder and a wink. “Quite the opposite. Tomorrow is… a special occasion and, well, that song you danced your debut to? That’s the one you’ll be doing tomorrow.”

Arthur swallowed nervously. He hadn’t performed that routine once since that first time. He had no idea as to  _ why _ he hadn’t, but he’d been so busy he just… never asked. And now, here Gwaine was, telling him he would be dancing to it again. For a ‘special occasion’ to top it off too. He opened his mouth to ask, but something in the manager’s eyes made him bite the question down and simply nod instead.

“Midnight it is then.”

It was dark, and it might’ve been the play of shadows, but to Arthur’s tired eye it looked like relief washed over Gwaine’s expression at his easy acceptance. One blink and the easy-going grin was back, however, and Arhur really was too damn tired to over-analyze. One last nod goodbye, and he was off.

~ _ Yeah, I gotta hurt you _ ~

He was at the club at half-past eleven. He was rushing -- a nap that was only supposed to be a power one turned into  _ oh shit my alarm broke again -- _ and so it took Arthur far too long to realise that the club, which was usually pulsing with the beat of music before you so much as stepped inside was… quiet. Quiet and dark and Arthur felt his steps falter. Feeling trepidation rising, he continued down his path with more caution, eyes darting around the dark quickly.

“Princess!”

Arthur did  _ not _ breathe a sigh of relief, no matter what Gwaine would have liked to believe. Turning on a heel, he nodded to the manager in greeting. “Gwaine. What… what’s going on here? Where is everyone?”

Gwaine hesitated. Arthur frowned. Gwaine  _ never  _ hesitated. “Gwaine?” he asked again, and the manager must have caught something in his voice because the blinding grin was back, as was the friendly hand on his shoulder.

“Told ya tonight was special, didn’t I? Look, Arthur, all you really need to do is just, go, get ready and then dance your little dancer heart out, losing clothing as you go, yeah?”

Arthur gulped, nodded and did just that.

~ _ I gotta hear it from your mouth _ ~

The corridor to the stage was lit up with some seriously dim lights, but hey, it was better than stumbling along in the dark, Arthur figured. The stage itself was bright in comparison -- a single spotlight shining brightly on the pole in the middle. The floor, on the other hand, was completely drowned in the darkness. Arthur swallowed against a dry throat. He squared his shoulders then, and stepped on the stage. Taking his spot and closing his eyes, he waited for the beat to start.

~ _ Boy, I wanna taste you _

_ I wanna skin you with my tongue~ _

As soon as he began to move, he knew. His whole body was vibrating, his skin tingling. He couldn’t see him, hell, he couldn’t see anything in the absolute darkness that the floor was covered in, but he could  _ feel _ him. That Gaze, like a caress, touching him all over. Arthur smirked. And then he let go.

~ _ I’m gonna kill you _

_ I’m gonna lay you in the ground~ _

He was out of breath by the time the last notes puttered off into quiet. He had never danced like he danced that night. He had given everything he had, pouring his whole self into that dance. He just hoped it was enough.

_ ~Desire, I’m hungry _

_ I hope you’ll feed me~ _

The slow clapping that started a moment later startled Arthur out of his reverie. He blinked, trying to make his eyes readjust faster -- dim lights were coming on all over the floor, and now he could  _ see _ him. His Gaze Man, sitting right where he always had. Eyes still trained on Arthur. There was a light smirk on the man’s face as his eyes roved over Arthur’s body. Arthur refused to blush.

_ ~I wanna feel you _

_ I want it all~ _

He was beckoned then, a single incline of the man’s head, and Arthur felt his feet moving across the stage, the pull undeniable. He stopped at the edge of the stage, lowering himself slowly and sitting down, his feet dangling over the edge.

It was his turn to incline his head then.  _ Well? _ the motion asked. He bit the inside of his cheek, praying he wasn’t overdoing it. He wouldn’t be able to bear it, to fuck this up. He wanted, he had  _ waited _ for far too long to--

That Gaze, that had never strayed from his skin, rose over his legs, his taut stomach, caressed over his chest and… Arthur couldn’t contain a gasp when, finally, their eyes locked.

_ ~I wanna feel you _

_ I want it all~ _

“I missed your debut.”

_ His voice is even darker than his gaze _ , Arthur found himself thinking as he slid off the stage and walked over to the armchair his Gaze Man was sprawled over, slowly.  _ Darker than sin _ .

“Urgent matters,” the man continued, voice lilting in amusement a little. “Couldn’t be avoided.” He shrugged one shoulder, all grace. “You know how it is.”

Arthur nodded, mutely, not really hearing the words so much as bathing in that  _ voice _ ; stopping a hair-breath from making their legs touch. His Gaze Man reached out a hand, and Arthur took it, immediately. The confident smirk was back then, and Arthur was pulled onto a lap bedecked in a very,  _ very  _ expensive suit.

_ Desmond Merrion, _ Arthur’s breath froze in his lungs, the only thought left in his head, a slightly hysterical,  _ I’m getting my sweat all over a 47 thousand dollar suit.  _

“...sorry.”

Arthur blinked. “I… what was that?”

His Gaze Man smirked, obviously amused. “I said I was sorry for missing your show.”

Arthur steeled himself then and returned the smirk, running his fingers lightly over the other man’s chest and around his neck, playing with the hair at his nape.

“It’s okay. I’m feeling rather generous tonight.”

The man’s eyebrow rose, clearly intrigued. “Oh?”

Arthur swallowed and channeled his inner Gwaine. “Mm. I think I’ll allow you to make it up to me.”

~ _ How do you want me? How do you want me?  _

_ How do you want me? How do you want me?~ _

He tasted of forest and thunderstorms. His touch felt like fire, wherever it trailed over Arthur’s heated skin.

Arthur gasped, writhing under ringed fingers, shuddering, when a scorching mouth planted wet, open kisses over his neck. 

Whining, he ran his fingers through dark hair, which slid like silk through his fingers, and rolled his hips, any anxiety about what his squirming would do to the gorgeous clothing under him forgotten. 

The man’s hands reached his thighs, fingers dipping under the flimsy material of his shorts, caressing and inching ever closer to where Arthur was  _ burning  _ to be touched.

“Please… I---” he tried, shivered, when the man leaned in and bit his collarbone, soothing the sting away with soft lips, and promptly lost his train of thought.

Arthur knew what he wanted, and however distracting the slight burn of his Gaze Man’s stubble, he was damned if he didn’t get it.

He pulled away, caught that gaze that made him  _ feel _ and bit his lip. The man’s eyes snapped to his mouth.

Arthur ran his tongue slowly over his lower lip and felt eyes following the motion. 

“Tease,” the man breathed, and Arthur dared a small smile.

“What do I call you?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper, and shrugged, trying for nonchalant, at the raised eyebrow he got in return. “Unless you’d like me to continue referring to you as ‘the Gaze Man’.”

The man chuckled at that, his fingers rubbing slow circles over Arthur’s hip bones. “The Gaze Man?”

Arthur shrugged again, “I could feel you watching me. Seemed fitting.” He looked at him from beneath his lashes then. “Might be a bit difficult to scream as you’re fucking me, though.”

A groan left the man’s lips then, his forehead bumping gently at Arthur’s collar. “You are trouble, Ar _ thur. _ ” His hands slid from Arthur’s hips to his waist and then back, going lower on each stroke. When he reached low enough, he squeezed, making Arthur gasp, and then stood, lifting him up as he did. Arthur’s startled look earned him a chuckle, even as he wrapped his legs around a narrow waist.

“Worth it, though?” Arthur whispered, grinding down, feeling immensely satisfied when the man’s steps faltered before smoothing out again.

“We’ll see about that, now won’t we?” the man purred, nipping at Arthur’s jaw as he walked.

_ ~I wanna feel you _

_ I want it all~ _

Arthur knew he was making noise, couldn’t stop it, didn’t even want to bother trying. His hands were grasping at the edge of the bar, squeezing it sporadically, as his Gaze Man ---  _ Merlin --- _ stood between his spread thighs, one hand pressing down on his pelvis while the other… Arthur whined, throwing his head back, his thighs spasming.

“Relax for me, Ar _ thur _ . Let me in,” Merlin purred, leaning over and mouthing at Arthur’s hip, as he languidly pushed his one? Two? fingers inside of him.

_ Relax?  _ How was he supposed to relax with all the stroking and pushing and  _ oh gods, _ curving sensations. Arthur shuddered, gulping down air, his lungs feeling far too small.

All of him felt too small, too small for his skin, too small to be able to fit into all that he was  _ feeling _ .

“ _ Mer _ lin…” Arthur gasped, reaching up with one trembling hand, grasping at a tie, the end of which was ticking over his chest, biting his lip at the feeling of the tiny crystals digging into his palm. “ _ Merlin, please _ …”

Dark blue eyes twinkled as they gazed down at Arthur. “Please what, darling? What would you like me to do, my pretty dancer?”

Arthur squirmed, arching his back, and hooked a leg over Merlin’s hip. “ _ Me _ , you bastard. Do  _ me. _ ”

Merlin laughed. The deep, dark sound washing over Arthur and making his head spin.

~ _ How do you want me? How do you want me?  _

_ How do you want me? How do you want me?~ _

_ Slow _ , Arthur thought -- said -- screamed -- he didn’t know.  _ Far too slow _ , and Merlin was laughing again, his voice going breathless, so maybe Arthur had spoken. He didn’t know, he couldn’t  _ breathe,  _ much less care.

Merlin was moving inside of him now, his hands clutching at Arthur’s hips, controlling his movements. Arthur’s legs wrapped around his waist, trying to pull him deeper, deeper,  _ deeper _ , his hands trembling on Merlin’s shoulders.

Arthur raised his head, his vision blurry; blinked away the tears, caught Merlin’s lips with his own, fucked his tongue inside that mouth, tasting thunderstorms and  _ life _ .

He breathed Merlin’s air, wrapped his arms around his neck, looked into his eyes, into his Gaze Man’s golden flashing eyes and  _ flew _ .

~ _ I want it all _

_ I want it all _

_ I want it all _ ~

**Author's Note:**

> comments feed my starving soul.  
> xoxo
> 
> also, because why the hell not -  
> [M's tie](https://images.neimanmarcus.com/ca/1/products/mu/NMN1LSC_mu.jpg)  
> [M's suit](http://bespoke.lt/en/assets/images/Content/LookBook/Business/Brother_from_another_mother_\(24\).jpg)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Dancing King](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924031) by [Sunfall_of_Ennien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunfall_of_Ennien/pseuds/Sunfall_of_Ennien)




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